Dealing with irresponsible behaviour

If a member of the public is behaving irresponsibly on your land and causing unreasonable interference, you can ask them to change their behaviour. If they don't comply with your request, then they give up their access rights and you can ask them to leave and seek help from your access authority. Your local ranger service may also be able to provide advice too.

If you come across criminal behaviour, you should contact the Police. For further information download a list of Legal Offences  , including criminal offences or take a look at the Brief Guide to Laws relevant to Outdoor Access in Scotland  .

You should also remember that if a member of the public believes a land manager isn't managing land or water in a responsible way to allow the exercise of access rights, for example by deliberately or unreasonably obstructing access, they can report the matter to the access authority.

A dispute over whether or not a member of the public or a land manager is acting responsibly could ultimately be referred to the Sheriff Court. Contact your local access officer for further advice.

For advice about dealing with camping issues see our Managing Informal Camping - Camping Guidance for Land and Recreation Managers  .